TikTok tests Snapchat style vanishing video stories feature

TikTok Stories will allow users to see content posted by accounts they follow for 24 hours before they are deleted.

It comes as WhatsApp rolls out a feature for users to post photos or videos that vanish after they are seen.

This week rival social media platform Twitter shut down its Fleets disappearing stories feature.

TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, told the BBC: "We're always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience."

"Currently we're experimenting with ways to give creators additional formats to bring their creative ideas to life for the TikTok community," the spokesperson added.

The feature was highlighted by social media consultant Matt Navarra, who shared screenshots of TikTok Stories on Twitter.
 

TikTok Stories

what the… ? pic.twitter.com/PIUpKMhj0k

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) August 4, 2021

TikTok is the latest major social media platform to experiment with the feature first made popular by Snapchat.

The news comes as Facebook-owned WhatsApp rolls out a function that allows its users to have photos or videos vanish after they are seen.

In the "view once" feature, an image is deleted after the recipient opens it for the first time and doesn't save to a phone.

WhatsApp said the feature was aimed at "giving users even more control over their privacy".

However, child protection advocates have expressed concerns that automatically vanishing messages could help cover up evidence of child sexual abuse.

On 3 August, Twitter discontinued its Fleets function which allowed users to post photos and videos that disappeared after 24 hours.

Fleets was first announced in March last year in response to the popularity of Snapchat and Instagram Stories.

In the eight months that Fleets was available, Twitter added a number of new features, including GIFs, stickers and different coloured text.

However, the feature did not become as widely used as the company had hoped.